1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to connecting external devices and systems to a computer, and more particularly, to connecting external devices and systems having different functions to a computer using a shared port/connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
The usefulness of a computer can be increased through devices and systems that can be connected to the computer. To accommodate such interconnection, computers commonly are equipped with various ports through which external devices can be connected to the computer. These external devices and systems may include, among others, printers, modems, local area networks (LANs), external drives, keyboards, and pointing devices. In turn, internal boards of the computer include wiring connected to each port that gives the computer the capability to utilize the external device which is connected to that port.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional computer system 100 configured to connect with two different external devices or systems to thereby operate two different functions. Two functions which are greatly needed in the majority of today's computers are ethernet and modem capability. The ethernet function is required for networking with other computers, and the modem function is required, for example, for sending facsimiles from the computer and for connecting the computer system to the Internet. Because of the widespread use of these functions in today's households and workplaces, inclusion of these features are often essential to the marketability of the computer system.
FIG. 1 more specifically depicts a computer system 100 that accommodates interconnection with a 10baseT ethernet system and a telephone system. A signal from an ethernet system (not shown) is carried via an ethernet line 110 terminating in an ethernet 8-pin modular plug 108. Although the ethernet 8-pin modular plug 108 has eight ethernet plug pins 118, only four, typically pins numbered as 1, 2, 3, and 6 in FIG. 1, are connected to the ethernet line 110. To accommodate connection with the ethernet system, the computer system 100 includes an ethernet circuit 102. The ethernet circuit 102 is connected to an ethernet 8-pin modular jack 106 which provides a port on the edge of the computer system 100. To connect the computer system 100 to the ethernet line 110, the ethernet 8-pin modular plug 108 is inserted into and engaged with the ethernet 8-pin modular jack 106. Therefore, only four of the ethernet modular jack pins 120, those corresponding to the pins used on the ethernet 8-pin modular plug 108, are used on the ethernet 8-pin modular jack 106.
A signal from a telephone system (not shown) is carried via a telephone line 116 terminating in a 4-pin telephone plug 114. As with the ethernet 8-pin modular plug 108, not all of the telephone plug pins 122 on the telephone 4-pin modular plug 114 are used. Rather, the telephone line 116 typically uses only pins 2 and 3. To accommodate connection with the telephone system, the computer system 100 also includes a modem circuit 104. The modem circuit 104 is connected to a telephone 4-pin modular jack 112 which provides another port on the edge of the computer system 100, thus further decreasing the space available for other such ports. To connect the computer system 100 to the telephone line 116, the telephone 4-pin modular plug 114 is inserted into and engaged with the telephone 4-pin modular jack 112. Therefore, the modem circuit 104 is connected to those telephone modular jack pins 122 which correspond to the two pins used on the telephone 4-pin modular jack 112.
As shown in FIG. 1, typical configurations of computer systems may include both ethernet and modem capability which requires the use of two ports. Other ports are also needed for other external device or system functions desired. Each port required increases the amount of surface area required, and correspondingly decreases the amount of surface area available for other ports. Typically, desktop computer systems have a fairly large surface area that can be used for such ports, and therefore the designer is free to include many ports, and therefore functions, in desktop computer systems.
However, due to convenience and cosmetic reasons, computers are built such that they normally only use the back side of their housing for ports. Hence, there is a limited surface area available for ports. In the case of portable computers, the limited surface area is more restrictive because portable computers must be limited in overall size and must be easily carried to be useful. With such limited space available for ports, the computer designers are forced to limit the number of external devices that can be connected to the computer, and thus limit the functionality of the computer. The designer is forced to make difficult choices not to include some functions, thus making the computer system less marketable. Also, the consuming public demands continued reduction in the size of computers, in particular portable computers. Such continued reduction of overall size results in even further reduction in the surface area available for ports and in the number of functions available with the computer.
Thus, there is a need for better utilization of the limited surface area available for ports on computers.